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It's no secret that Breitling ranks among the leading Swiss luxury brands and offers plenty of expensive models. But who would have expected the renowned pilot's watch maker to venture beyond the magic €100,000 mark? Today things get exciting: we work our way through the prestigious manufacture's highlights in ascending order of price and reveal at the end which is Breitling's most expensive watch of all time. Excited? You should be.
Navitimer 1 B01 Chronograph 43 in Red Gold
To "warm up," we present a classic that embodies the Grenchen company's brand values like no other: the Navitimer 1 B01 Chronograph 43. Not just any version, though, but the ultra-luxurious execution in 18k red gold (Ref. RB0121211B1P1). A rare material that gives the legendary pilot's model exceptional prestige along with a gorgeous look. The harmony with the black dial and white slide rule scale – simply stunning! The Navitimer is far from being Breitling's most expensive watch, but it clearly sets itself apart from its steel siblings.
Above all, there's the substantial weight, accompanied by the sublime feeling of touching 18k gold every time you turn the bezel or press the pushers. The B01 manufacture caliber, including its partly gold rotor, can be admired through a display caseback. Price of this high-flyer on an alligator strap: €19,540.
Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley Centenary Limited Edition
Our next candidate isn't the most expensive Breitling either, but it boasts breathtaking attention to detail: designed in honor of the famous 1929 Bentley 4 ½ Litre (nicknamed the "Blower Bentley"), the Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Bentley Centenary Limited Edition (Ref. RB01181A1Q1X1) recalls the dashboard of the automotive legend with its unique elm wood dial.
A Bentley plaque on the left side of the 18k red gold case strengthens the link to the British luxury marque, as does the quilted leather strap styled after the car seats from Crewe. The chronograph isn't short on elegant contrasts either: alongside the subdials, the tachymeter scale is also set off in black, complemented by red accents and gold applied indices. On its back, the Centenary expresses its rarity with a "1 OF 200" engraving that wraps around a sapphire window revealing the B01 manufacture movement beneath. According to the manufacturer, Breitling's most expensive watch with a wooden dial costs €26,350.
AVI 1953 Edition in Platinum
Breitling enthusiasts know that in the early 1950s, the Navitimer didn't reign alone in the manufacturer's lineup. Its partner was the Ref. 765 AVI ("Co-Pilot"), which, unlike the complex Navitimer, stood out for its excellent legibility and clean design. With the new AVI 1953 Edition, the brand presents a faithful revival of the slim 41 mm classic, with the platinum version shown here (Ref. LB0920131C1X1) being the rarest of all.
Only 153 pieces of this historic comeback are being made, all fitted with a blue dial and a strongly domed Hesalite crystal. Arabic numerals with hand-applied luminous coating shape the character of a vintage model whose chronograph power comes from the B09 manufacture movement (a derivative of the B01). The AVI 1953 Edition in platinum isn't Breitling's most expensive watch, but €39,500 is a serious statement.
Navitimer 1959 Edition in Platinum
For exactly the same price – or, you might say, a decent midsize car – the platinum version of the Navitimer 1959 Edition (Ref. LB0910211C1P1) sits in the display window. With a total production of 59 pieces, it's incredibly rare, but at least as significant for Breitling's modern history. Why? With the 1959 Edition, the luxury brand brings the most famous Navitimer of all time, the Ref. 806 from 1959, back to life. Naturally, more affordable stainless steel versions of the re-edition are also available, but their dial is black rather than glowing in the majestic blue of the platinum model.
Covered by traditional, strongly domed Plexiglas, the vivid hue meets historic details such as the unsigned wings logo and the brand name in capital letters. Breitling's most expensive watch on a blue alligator strap places particular emphasis on authenticity – only the B09 caliber, the just-about-tolerable water resistance of 30 meters, and the Super-LumiNova coating betray the 21st century.
Breitling for Bentley Mulliner Tourbillon
Speaking of the 21st century: while the models so far belong to Breitling's current portfolio and are available new, we now turn to a past chapter of the company – the "Breitling for Bentley" era of the 2000s and early 2010s. One incredible result of this automotive partnership, which has since ended, was the luxurious Bentley Mulliner Tourbillon: a gigantic 49 mm in size and crafted from solid white gold (Ref. L18841), it still shatters every notion of a massive chronograph to this day.
It isn't the most expensive Breitling in our ranking, as current market prices for this rarity hover around €70,000. A lovely detail: the bezel's diamond pattern, which lives up to the name and recalls Bentley's exclusive Mulliner customizations.
Bentley Mark VI Complications 29
When it came out in 2007, it was Breitling's most expensive watch: the Bentley Mark VI Complications 29 in platinum (Ref. L29363). Limited to 100 pieces and named after the British automaker's first postwar model (produced 1946 - 1952), it features 13 hands and more than 500 components. The reason for the enormous complexity of this 42 mm high-flyer is its combination of chronograph function and perpetual calendar including moon phase. Like the brand's other platinum models, the Complications 29 is remarkably heavy. Its membership in the Bentley collection is revealed by the beautiful diamond-pattern bezel, which underscores the Mark VI's refined appearance.
[box type="note" align="" class="" width=""]Prices on the collector and pre-owned market can vary widely today; for platinum versions in like-new condition, you should budget around €130,000.[/box]Breitling's Most Expensive Watch: Bentley Collection R4436563 "Bentley Flying B"
It may not be the most expensive Breitling ever, but it's definitely the most expensive one we could find: the Bentley Collection R4436563, better known among experts as the "Bentley Flying B." This men's watch is exotic in every respect: not only the rectangular case, which has been used extremely rarely in Breitling's history, but also the mother-of-pearl dial on a men's model and the lavish diamond setting are things we're not used to seeing from Grenchen.
196 diamonds sit atop the 18k rose gold case, joined by 321 brilliant-cut diamonds on the solid gold bracelet. That makes 517 gemstones in total. Only 50 pieces of this automatic chronograph were made, none of which is currently for sale. The last known sale prices were around €200,000. By comparison, €7,000 for a new Navitimer with a manufacture movement is a real bargain, isn't it?
